i^J 


GIFT  OF 
Sir  Henry  Heyman 


THE  SOUL  OF  AN  ORGAN 


THE  SOUL  OF  AN 
ORGAN 


BY 


LOUISE  VESCELIUS-SHELDON 


nKe  ChristopKer  PublisKing  Hotise 
Boston,  Massachusetts 


-'  -*  i -*  ^  "  **    «     t»  «»       ^    ., . 


Copyright  igi6 
By  Thb  Christopher  Publishing  Hoosk 


INTRODUCTION 

The  following  pages,  which,  in  my 
humble  judgment,  are  of  intense  interest  and 
value  to  all  seekers  for  first-hand  informa- 
tion regarding  the  nature  of  a  larger  life 
than  that  which  meets  our  external  senses, 
contain  an  accurate  account  of  experiences 
in  real  life,  veiled  in  the  guise  of  seeming 
fiction.  We  have  almost  ceased  to  be  as- 
tonished at  any  new  revelation  in  the  domain 
of  applied  science  which  may  come  into 
general  vogue.  Only  a  comparatively  few 
years  ago  Wireless  Telegraphy  was  un- 
known, and  the  great  discoveries  of  William 
Marconi  and  a  few  other  extremely  ad- 
vanced electricians  were  looked  upon  by 
many  professedly  **practical,  level-headed" 
persons  as  merely  figments  of  the  scientific 
imagination. 

As  long  ago  as  during  the  80's  of  the 
19th  century  Sir  Oliver  Lodge  and  a  few 
other  singularly  intrepid  and  adventurous 
men  of  scientific  renown  had  plunged  into 
the  vortex  of  Psychical  Research,  but  though 
the  famous  Professor  Alfred  Russel  Wal- 
lace had  avowed  himself  a  Spiritualist  and 
Sir  William  Crookes  had  come  out  boldly 
in  favor  of  a  scientific  theory  of  telepathy, 
the  average  man  of  science  looked  askance 
5 


6  INTRODUCTION 

at  anything  presumably  calculated  to  cross 
the  mysterious  border-Hne  between  the  physi- 
cal and  the  spiritual. 

The  position  of  the  scientific  world  is  now 
so  greatly  changed  that  we  are  not  aston- 
ished to  learn  on  good  authority  that  Sir 
Oliver  Lodge  is  positively  convinced  that  he 
is  in  possession  of  satisfactory  evidence 
confirming  the  fact  of  actual  communion 
between  those  still  functioning  through  physi- 
cal bodies  and  the  so-called,  but  mis-called, 
dead. 

A  gifted  writer  has  recently  expressed 
herself  in  the  following  impressive  words^ 
called  forth  by  recent  demonstrations  in  the 
field  of  actual  scientific  exploration:  **But 
a  very  few  years  ago  wireless  telegraphy  as 
a  medium  for  transmitting  intelligence  through 
the  air  was  unheard  of;  yesterday  the  hu- 
man voice  was  heard  distinctly  half  way 
round  the  planet;  to-morrow  we  may  hear 
a  voice  from  one  of  the  distant  stars." 

Important  though  these  new  discoveries 
and  revelations  unquestionably  are,  when 
viewed  solely  from  the  standpoint  of  com- 
mercial advantage  and  freedom  of  inter- 
course between  physically  separated  friends, 
the  ethical  implications  of  this  rapidly  grow- 
ing proof  of  the  immeasurable  greatness  of 
human  capacity  are  far  more  stupendously 
important,  for  the  larger  view  we  take  of  our 
possibilities,  and  the  greater  our  knowledge 
of  the  law  governing  psychical  as  well  as 
physical  activity,  the  stronger  must  become 
our  hold  on  assurances  of  immortality  and 


INTRODUCTION  7 

the  certainty  that  we  are  even  now  and  here 
living  in  a  spiritual  realm  immeasurably 
vaster  than  our  physical  senses  can  deter- 
mine. 

The  more  sensitive  we  are  constitutionally 
or  temperamentally  the  more  readily  do  we 
respond  to  vibrations  in  higher  octaves  than 
those  which  appeal  to  our  less  sensitive,  or 
less  highly  sensitized,  fellow  beings. 

Musical  therapeutics  is  a  branch  of  scien- 
tific healing  which  has  been  as  yet  hardly 
hinted  at  save  by  a  few  unusually  progressive 
musical  enthusiasts,  among  whom  Eva 
Augusta  Vescelius,  sister  of  the  author  of 
**The  Soul  of  an  Organ,"  has  been  a  genu- 
ine pioneer.  But  with  the  increase  of  atten- 
tion now  being  bestowed  upon  the  psychical 
aspects  of  therapeutics,  we  may  confidently 
expect  that  in  the  very  near  future  music  will 
take  its  rightful  place  among  accepted  health- 
giving  and  health-restoring  agencies,  and  lit- 
erally from  the  very  ''soul*'  of  an  organ  will 
proceed  healing  effluence  appreciable  by  suf- 
ferers for  whose  necessities  other  modes  of 
treatment  may  have  long  been  tried  in  vain. 
The  widespread  interest  in  music,  which  is 
growing  daily,  is  certainly  an  avenue  through 
which  the  higher  forces  can  work  directly  for 
the  alleviation  of  human  suffering  and  the 
increase  of  knowledge  concerning  celestial 
realms.  Adelaide  Proctor's  exquisite  poem, 
**The  Message  Sent  to  Heaven,"  is  receiving 
more  and  more  justification  as  science  grasps 
the  hand  of  poetry  and  pays  its  tribute  to  the 


8  INTRODUCTION 

fundamental  verities  which  underlie  the  poets' 
rhapsodies. 

The  coming  age  will  unquestionably  be 
one  in  which  there  will  be  no  antagonism 
between  intellect  and  emotion,  but  the  two 
will  so  dwell  together,  as  in  connubial  felicity 
that,  to  use  popular  rather  than  scientific 
phraseology,  head  and  heart  will  run  in 
double  harness. 

Transcending  all  else  of  interest  and  vital 
moment  to  humanity  is  the  clear,  bright 
light  which  modern  revelations  are  shower- 
ing upon  the  hitherto  dark  problem  of  our 
Hereafter.  We  may  well  admit  the  reason- 
ableness of  the  new  widely  accepted  proposi- 
tion that  there  is  the  same  intimate  connection 
between  ourselves  on  earth  and  our  so-called 
"departed"  loved  ones  that  there  is  between 
devoted  friends  whose  physical  bodies  are 
held  apart  by  what  the  world  calls  material 
space.  The  chasm  of  space  is  practically 
bridged  on  earth  by  wireless  telegraphy,  but 
there  must  be  stations  and  operators  or  the 
truth  of  "wireless"  cannot  be  demonstrated. 
So  is  it  with  our  conscious  communion  with 
the  usually  unknown  realm  of  spirit.  Glibly 
we  speak  of  invisible,  inaudible  and  much 
else  that  we  arbitrarily  designate  neoratively. 
while  all  about  us  are  highly  attuned  human 
instruments  responding  to  finer  vibrations 
than  the  general  average  of  humanity  in  its 
present  limited  development  can  be  aware  of. 

As  a  definite  contribution  to  the  literature 
of  the  new  period  I  heartily  commend  the 
following  entrancing  story  to  all  who  are  on 


INTRODUCTION  9 

the  alert  for  confirmation  of  the  mighty 
truth  of  the  beautiful  inspiring  words  of 
Harriet  Beecher  Stowe: 

''It  lies  around  us  like  a  cloud,  a  world  we 
do  not  see; 
But  the  soft  closing  of  an  eye,  may  bring 
us  there  to  be.** 

— ^W.   J.   COLVILLE. 


* 'Seated,  one  day,  at  the  organ 
I  was  weary  and  ill  at  ease. 
And  my  fingers  wandered  idly 
Over  the  noisy  keys; 
I  know  not  what  I  was  playing. 
Or  what  I  was  dreaming  then. 
But  I  struck  one  chord  of  music. 
Like  the  sound  of  a  great  Amen. 

It  flooded  the  crimson  twilight. 
Like  the  close  of  an  Angel's  Psalm, 
And  it  lay  on  my  fever'd  spirit. 
With  a  touch  of  infinite  calm. 
It  quieted  pain  and  sorrow. 
Like  love  overcoming  strife, 
It  seem'd  the  harmonious  echo 
From   our   discordant  Hfe. 

It  linked   all   perplexed   meanings. 

Into  one  perfect  peace. 

And  trembled  away  into  silence. 

As  if  it  were  loth  to  cease; 

I  have  sought,  but  I  seek  it  vainly. 

That  one  lost  chord  divine. 

Which  came   from  the  soul  of  the  organ. 

And  enter'd  into  mine. 

It  may  be  that  Death's  bright  Angel, 
Will  speak  in  that  chord  again. 
It  may  be  that  only  in  Heav'n 
I  shall  hear  that  grand  Amen." 

— ^Adelaide  A.  Proctor. 


11 


TKe  Soul  of  an  Organ 


CHAPTER   I. 

In  the  province  of  Wurtemberg 
on  the  banks  of  the  Danube  lies 
the  ancient  and  fortified  town  of 
Ulm,  whose  streets  at  one  time  re- 
sounded with  the  strains  of  martial 
music  and  the  tread  of  the  armies 
of  Napoleon  I. 

It  was  in  this  quaint  old  town 
that  Napoleon's  forces  were  en- 
camped on  their  way  to  Russia, 
and  thirty  thousand  souls  gathered 
in  the  Cathedral  to  greet  the  Em- 
peror. 

The  inhabitants  of  Ulm  look 
with  awe  and  admiration  upon 
their  Cathedral,  whose  single  lofty 
spire  points  like  a  finger  to  the 
skies,  while  from  its  smaller  pinna- 
cles the  Swabian  Alps  are  to  be 
seen  in  the  near  distance. 

13 


14  THE   SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN 

The  great  Munster,  four  hun- 
dred feet  in  length,  is  a  worthy 
temple  of  worship.  Erected  more 
than  three  centuries  before  Colum- 
bus set  sail  to  try  the  fortunes  of 
a  western  course,  serene  and  calm 
it  stands  welcoming  the  hurrying 
throng  with  scarcely  a  mark  from 
the  hand  of  time  to  show  the  pass- 
ing of  the  years. 

It  was  a  lovely  day  in  May  when 
the  sound  of  a  great  organ  pealed 
from  the  open  door  of  the  Cathe- 
dral, while  shimmering  streams  of 
light  were  falling  on  worshiper 
and  priest,  pillar  and  pulpit,  from 
windows  high  in  the  vaulted  dome. 

On  the  incense  laden  air,  which 
floated  from  the  altar,  rose  the 
thundering  tones  of  the  great  in- 
strument, uttering  as  it  were,  its 
warlike  commands  to  bitter  foes  in 
combat,  then  again  changing  to 
pleading  strains  as  from  some  dis- 
tant angel  choir  until  the  wor- 
shiper was  barely  conscious  of  the 
passing  scene  and  the  angel  chant 
grew  fainter  and  still  fainter,  the 
eyes  closed  in  rapt  adoration  of 
things  sublime,  the  blood  flowed 


THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN  15 

through  the  veins  with  an  added 
swiftness,  the  heart  pulsated  with 
a  conscious  throb,  and  the  breath 
came  slower  through  the  lips,  for 
the  soul  of  the  man  at  the  keyboard 
was  speaking  through  the  instru- 
ment, telling  the  story  of  life, 
while  the  answering  echo  in  every 
heart  gave  testimony  that  all  men 
were  brothers. 

Who  was  this  man  that  could 
breathe  into  the  organ  and  make 
it  a  living  entity  to  which  the 
thoughts  and  heart-throbs  of  the 
kneeling  multitude  responded? 
His  shapely  head  covered  with 
softly  waving  brown  hair,  was 
poised  on  high,  broad  shoulders; 
the  pointed  beard  had  been  care- 
fully trimmed;  the  face  in  outline 
was  a  blending  of  the  feminine 
and  the  masculine,  and  yet  there 
was  a  certain  strength  about  the 
muscles  of  the  throat.  But  it  was 
in  the  dark  blue  eyes  veiled  by 
black  lashes  that  the  singular  fasci- 
nation of  the  man  was  to  be  found. 
Under  deep  emotion  an  intensity 
of  expression  illuminated  the  face, 


16  THE   SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN 

reminding  one  of  Hoffman's  paint- 
ing of  the  man,  Jesus. 

As  the  music  died  away  in  the 
gathering  twilight  and  was  lost  in 
the  dark  recesses  of  the  Cathedral, 
the  organist  rose  and  lifting  his 
head,  gazed  through  and  beyond 
the  arches  above  him.  Presently  a 
sigh  escaped  his  lips  and  he  regret- 
fully turned  from  the  instrument, 
his  face  lost  that  rapt  look  of  the 
artist,  as  slowly  descending  the 
winding  stairway,  he  passed  out 
through  a  side  door  into  a  garden 
and  strolled  up  a  narrow  path 
leading  to  the  dwelling  at  the  end. 
The  strains  of  music  still  lingered 
in  his  ear  and  he  stood  a  few  mo- 
ments looking  at  the  great  stone 
pile,  as  he  had  done  many  times 
before. 

It  is  in  the  presence  of  strength 
outlined  in  noble  structures,  hal- 
lowed by  the  devotion  of  centuries 
that  the  best  inspirations  are  often 
born.  Who  knows  what  new  motif 
comes  to  the  soul  of  the  musician 
who,  through  solitary  hours,  lives 
alone  in  the  vaulted  dome  of  these 


THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN  17 

architectural  wonders  —  "  frozen 
music." 

As  the  organist  awoke  from  his 
reverie  and  neared  the  porch,  a 
sweet  but  intense  face  appeared  in 
the  doorway. 

He  smiled  as  he  saw  his  sister, 
the  gentle  Amina.  The  green- 
sward was  covered  with  cherry 
blossoms  and  the  evening  air  was 
laden  with  the  delicious  odor  which 
arises  from  the  earth  in  the  early 
spring,  while  one  of  those  rare, 
restful  twilights  fell  over  the  land. 

As  Amina  came  and  stood  at 
Joseph's  side,  the  nightingale  in 
the  bushes  sang  its  ode  to  the  night 
in  a  burst  of  joy.  When  it  ceased 
singing  Amina  softly  crooned  a 
lullaby.  All  nature  was  wrapping 
itself  in  repose,  and  she  was  assist- 
ing it.  Amina's  brownish-lidded 
eyes  asked  so  many  questions,  not 
of  you,  but  of  the  stars,  that  it 
would  have  taken  an  eternity  to 
have  answered  them,  and  her  low 
feminine  voice  was  but  an  echo 
from  the  gentle  spirit  within.  To 
live  in  her  brother's  world  of  music 
made  her  life  complete.     He  was 


18  THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN 

the  beloved  "Joseph"  of  the  com- 
munity; the  capable  leader  of  an 
orchestra. 

"Helena  is  coming  home,"  said 
Amina,  as  she  handed  him  a  letter 
stamped  with  a  foreign  postmark, 
"and  she  may  be  with  us  at  any 
moment,  for  the  letter  has  been  de- 
layed." 

A  look  of  surprise  swept  over 
the  organist's  face. 

"Helena  coming  home!"  he  said. 
"After  all  these  years!  I  can 
scarcely  believe  it." 

He  paced  up  and  down  the  walk 
with  Amina,  as  he  looked  over  at 
the  great  Munster  and  continued: 

"When  Helena  left  us  to  go  to 
America  as  the  wife  of  Carl  Bauer, 
I  was  the  poor  student,  struggling 
hesitatingly,  but  slowly  to  the  goal. 
She  returns  to  us  alone;  a  widow, 
to  find  you,  Amina  lovelier  than 
ever." 

"And  to  find  that  you  are 
the  Kapellmeister  of  Ulm,"  said 
Amina,  with  a  bright  smile.  "I 
have  often  dreamed  of  her  return 
and  wondered  if  we  would  know 
her." 


THE    SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN  19 

"She  cannot  have  changed  very 
much,"  said  Joseph,  thoughtfully, 
'*for  she  was  so  temperamental;  so 
full  of  nervous  energy,  and  restless 
to  the  point  of  caprice,  but  never 
tyrannical.  She  says,"  reading 
from  Helena's  letter,  ''  'I  have 
been  overwhelmed  with  the  care  of 
Mr.  Bauer's  affairs  since  his  death, 
and  have  finally  decided  to  close 
my  house  for  the  season  and  return 
to  the  old  home  in  Ulm.'  "The 
simple  life  here,  sister,  attracts  her 
after  all.  We  would  not  wish  to 
leave  it  for  all  that  she  could  lavish 
upon  us." 


CHAPTER   II. 

As  the  evening  chimes  pealed 
from  the  tower,  Amina's  voice 
roused  Joseph  from  the  reverie 
into  which  he  had  fallen. 

"Come,  brother,"  she  said,  "we 
have  the  proben  tonight.  It  is  time 
to  go."  And  they  passed  through 
the  gate  in  the  wall  that  sur- 
rounded the  garden  and  walked 
down  the  quiet  old  street  to  the 
hall  not  far  away,  where  the  sound 
of  sweet  discord,  dear  to  every  mu- 
sic lover  greeted  the  ear. 

The  violins  were  being  tuned  to 
pitch;  the  softly  melodious  tones 
of  the  horns  were  heard;  while  the 
sweet-voiced  oboe,  the  flute  and  the 
clarionet  were  merrily  caroling 
cadences  and  arpeggio  prepara- 
tory  to    the    evening's    rehearsal. 

Joseph  took  his  seat  as  leader 
with  more  than  his  usual  show  of 
interest,  for  'Tristan  and  Isolde* 
was  being  interpreted  by  his  be- 
loved   band.     Joseph    lifted    his 


THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN  21 

baton  and  the  passionate  under- 
tone of  the  great  love  poem  began 
to  slowly  vibrate  through  the 
room.  When  the  tender  strains 
of  "Isolde's"  music  were  heard, 
Joseph's  heart  swelled  within  his 
breast  and  the  notes  of  the  score 
were  blurred  through  a  river  of  un- 
shed tears.  A  vision  of  his  own 
lost  Ailsa,  whose  life  had  been  his 
inspiration,  rose  up  before  hiin. 
From  early  childhood  the  love  be- 
tween Joseph  and  Ailsa  had  blos- 
somed like  a  flower,  but  a  day 
came  when,  with  scarcely  a  mo- 
ment's warning,  Ailsa  sighed  her 
soul  away  into  the  limitless  ethers, 
and  left  Joseph  bereft. 

It  was  Amina's  tender  sympa- 
thy that  gave  Joseph  renewed 
hope,  and  gradually  brought  him 
back  to  an  interest  in  life.  This 
was  accomplished  in  a  measure, 
through  their  mutual  love  for 
music. 

The  program  played  this  eve- 
ning exerted  a  peculiar  influence 
over  Joseph.  When  the  final  beat 
was  given,  he  dismissed  the  men 
with  a  nod,  and  placing  his  hands 


22  THE   SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN 

over  his  heart,  walked  home  in  si- 
lence by  Amina's  side.  The  whis- 
pered name  "Ailsa"  was  sufficient 
explanation  for  his  noticeable 
pallor. 

On  reaching  the  gate  in  the 
garden  wall,  a  carriage  drove  up 
whose  lighted  lamp  flared  full  in 
their  faces. 

"Joseph,  Amina!"  cried  a  voice 
from  the  darkness. 

"Helena!"  they  both  gasped  and 
in  another  moment  were  locked  in 
their  sister's  fond  embrace. 

As  Helena  entered  the  guest 
room  and  seated  herself  in  a 
wooden  high-backed  chair,  under 
the  swinging  lamp,  her  eyes 
roamed  over  the  familiar  apart- 
ment, but  always  returned  to 
Joseph  and  Amina,  who  were 
quietly  observing  her,  while  the 
strains  of  "Tristan  and  Isolde" 
still  rang  in  their  ears. 

Amina  found  her  old  familiar 
place  on  a  footstool,  at  Helena's 
side,  and  sat  regarding  her  in  open 
admiration — for  she  was  her  ideal 
of  womanhood.  The  oval  face, 
sparkling  blue  eyes,  and  fun-lov- 


THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN  23 

ing  mouth  (perhaps  a  little  too 
wide) ,  with  its  dimpled  smile,  were 
irresistibly  fascinating.  Her  head, 
crowned  with  a  wealth  of  burn- 
ished brown  hair,  which  fell  in 
ripples  about  neck  and  ear,  to- 
gether with  the  pink  and  white 
complexion,  gave  her  quite  a 
youthful  appearance.  In  fact,  na- 
ture had  been  very  prodigal  with 
her  gifts  to  Helena  Bauer. 

The  dress,  the  bright  boxes  and 
trunks  belonging  to  her,  the  things 
she  threw  down  here  and  there,  all 
made  an  instantaneous  change  in 
the  home. 

"I  suppose  that  you  would  like 
to  know  what  brought  me  home  to 
Ulm?  The  fact  is,  that  after  Mr. 
Bauer's  death,  I  found  the  adjust- 
ment of  his  business  interests  re- 
quired my  undivided  attention. 
Those  months  of  anxiety  seemed 
fearfully  long.  You  can  imagine 
how  tired  I  grew  of  the  confusion, 
when  I  decided  to  throw  care  to 
the  winds  and  return  to  you  in  the 
serenity  of  the  old  home,  and  rest 
awhile." 

Amina  caressed  her  sister's  hand 


24  THE   SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN 

and  said:  "We  intend  keeping  you 
with  us  for  many  days." 

"You  are  living  happily  as 
usual,  Joseph,  under  the  shadow 
of  the  Cathedral,  with  its  gloomy 
niches  and  whispering  corners?" 

"We  love  the  old  Cathedral;  it 
casts  its  benediction  over  us.  We 
would  be  lost  if  we  left  its 
shadow,"  Joseph  said,  rising  and 
leading  the  way  to  the  dining 
room. 

The  room  with  its  low  ceiling 
and  small  square  windows  draped 
in  white  dimity;  the  steaming  tea 
kettle  hanging  over  the  fire  and 
humming  a  tune  to  which  the  lid 
was  merrily  dancing;  the  table 
spread  with  its  simple  fare,  to- 
gether with  the  general  air  of  com- 
fort and  repose,  presented  a  quaint 
picture  to  the  tired  traveler.  It 
was  as  Joseph  said:  "We  need  so 
little  to  make  us  content." 


CHAPTER   III. 

Helena  nestled  in  this  restful 
home  with  ever-increasing  interest, 
for  the  qualities  of  both  mind  and 
heart  of  her  brother  and  sister 
appealed  to  her  affectional  nature. 

She  realized  that  it  was  Amina's 
brooding  spirit  hovering  over  ev- 
erj^  detail  of  Joseph's  career  that 
gave  him  time  for  labor  and  com- 
position. It  was  Amina  who  ar- 
ranged the  orchestral  scores  for 
rehearsals ;  kept  the  house  scrupu- 
lously clean;  prepared  the  meals 
to  suit  his  tastes,  and  still  found 
time  to  devote  to  her  piano  and 
accompany  him  in  his  violin 
studies. 

The  music,  so  impersonal,  car- 
ried healing  on  its  wings.  It  was 
like  heavenly  manna  to  Helena's 
soul;  and  she  knew  that  it  was 
Joseph's  and  Amina's  daily  food. 

This  visit  to  the  old  home  proved 
to  be  one  of  genuine  pleasure  to 
Helena,  especially  in  the  meeting 


26  THE   SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN 

of  girlhood  friends  who  assisted  in 
making  the  summer  pass  quickly 
by.  When  the  days  began  to 
shorten,  Helena  took  long  solitary 
drives,  during  which  she  turned 
over  many  things  in  her  mind. 
Her  restless  spirit  craved  excite- 
ment, while  her  commercial  inter- 
ests called  to  her  from  New  York, 
but  a  feeling  of  fear  gripped  her; 
the  fear  of  loneliness  which  is  the 
twin  sister  to  monotony.  As  the 
time  fixed  for  her  departure  drew 
near,  the  restlessness  increased  un- 
til she  had  a  sudden  inspiration. 
Joseph  and  Amina  should  return 
with  her  to  America !  The  decision 
was  quickly  made,  and  that  same 
evening  on  her  return  from  the 
drive,  she  broached  the  subject. 

"Why  cannot  you  and  Amina 
go  to  America  with  me?"  she  said 
to  Joseph,  as  they  sat  talking  of 
her  departure.  "You  should  see 
something  of  the  world  beyond 
Ulm.  Everything  that  you  have 
here  is  included  in  the  life  in 
America,  but  there,  commerce 
overshadows  art." 

There  was  a  long  pause.  Joseph 


THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN  27 

sat  motionless,  while  a  flood  of  ten- 
der memories  swept  over  him. 
The  inspiration  of  the  home,  of  the 
Cathedral,  of  a  thousand  and  one 
things  that  were  life  itself. 

"Nothing  can  overshadow  art," 
he  finally  said,  "for  art  includes 
philosophy.  The  professional  man 
and  the  philosopher  should  grow  in 
wisdom,  and  their  judgment  and 
spiritual  intuition  increase  with 
years.  The  treadmill  of  competi- 
tion in  the  business  world  is  the 
soul  crusher;  the  genius  escapes 
the  treadmill,  but  it  takes  what  the 
American  calls  'nerve'  to  do  it  and 
play  the  game  to  a  finish.  Nothing 
was  ever  gained  through  slaying 
your  brother." 

The  restless  movement  of  Hel- 
ena's rocking  chair  was  the  only 
sound  that  broke  the  stillness. 
There  was  a  sad  note  in  Joseph's 
voice  as  he  continued: 

"Our  wants  are  few,  sister;  we 
have  enough  for  our  every  need, 
and  I  think  that  Amina  is  happy. 
Why  should  we  leave  the  old  home 
with  its  hallowed  associations  and 
break  the  rythm  of  our  lives?" 


28  THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN 

"Ah,  brother,"  cried  Helena, 
shrugging  her  shoulders,  "you  are 
not  weighing  your  words.  The 
fact  is,  you  have  too  many  ideals." 

Joseph  sat  thinking  over  those 
words  "too  many  ideals,"  until 
Amina  came  into  the  room  and  lit 
the  lamp,  then  turning  to  her  he 
said  in  a  low  voice,  full  of  emotion: 

"Our  sister  says  that  we  have  too 
many  ideals.  She  is  wrong!  We 
cannot  have  too  many  ideals,  for 
we  have  time  to  live  up  to  them 
here.  Live  your  own  life  in  your 
own  way,"  he  said  to  Helena,  "but 
leave  us,  with  God's  blessing,  to 
listen  to  the  voice  of  the  soul,  and 
do  what  little  we  can  to  interpret 
the  music  of  the  great  masters. 
Here,  life's  song  lingers  on  the 
gentle  breeze,  and  we  are  content 
with  our  lot  just  as  it  is." 

"I  have  no  patience  with  either 
of  you.  Why  should  your  music 
constitute  the  entire  world  to  both 
of  you?  Now  brother,"  continued 
Helena  coaxingly,  "you  can  both 
labor  in  your  world  of  music,  and 
at  the  same  time  be  of  assistance 
to  me." 


THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN  29 

Joseph  rose  from  his  chair  and 
moved  restlessly  about  the  room  as 
he  said: 

"The  whirr  of  your  great  wheels 
of  commerce  would  drown  aught 
else!  I  must  hear  the  nightingale 
that  sings  in  these  bushes.  I 
would  pine  for  the  Cathedral — for 
the  Danube  flowing  by  our  side." 

"So  you  think  now,"  persisted 
Helena.  "But  you  will  find  other 
things  in  the  New  World  which 
will  take  their  place.  We  have  the 
woods,  the  birds,  the  rivers;  in 
fact,  all  that  Ulm  possesses  we 
have — with  the  exception  of  the 
Cathedral.  Joseph,  I  have  no 
one  near  me  upon  whom  I  can  rely, 
and  you  would  be  of  great  assis- 
tance to  me." 

Joseph  stood  facing  her,  and  at 
once  grasped  the  situation.  She 
was  asking  him  to  be  her  servant: 
to  place  secondary  the  results  of 
his  years  of  study;  to  throw  aside 
his  art  and  take  an  interest  in  her 
world  of  finance?  The  artist  soul 
in  him  shrank  from  the  very 
thought  of  it.  Lifting  his  head  he 
looked   steadily   at  her.      Helena 


30  THE   SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN 

had  never  seen  him  so  stirred,  and 
the  intensity  of  his  varied  emotions 
surprised  her. 

"Should  I  accede  to  your  wishes 
and  go  with  you,"  he  said  slowly 
and  distinctly  as  if  weighing  his 
words,  "we  would  all  pay  too 
dearly  for  it.  If  I  gave  up  my 
hopes  and  ambitions  as  a  musician 
even  for  a  time,  the  ear  would  close 
to  the  harmonies  that  are  born  of 
inspiration.  I  would  become  disin- 
tegrated.   Do  not  ask  it." 

Helena  sat  dumb.  What  could 
it  all  mean,  she  asked  herself. 
Could  not  Joseph  hear  the  great 
orchestras  of  the  New  World; 
greater  than  any  he  could  ever 
hope  to  hear  in  Ulm?  Was  there 
no  other  song  so  sweet  as  the  one 
the  single  nightingale  sang  in  the 
garden?  She  looked  at  Joseph 
and  thought  what  a  pity  it  was  that 
he  was  not  more  practical;  what 
was  he  really  accomplishing  any- 
way. Composing  a  few  fugitive 
songs:  an  orchestral  theme  now 
and  then.  A  leader  of  an  orches- 
tra! What  did  that  count  for  in 
her  world  of  things?    What  a  pity 


THE   SOUL  or   AN   ORGAN  31 

it  was  that  he  was  not  like  other 
men  who  loved  money? 


CHAPTER    IV: 

Helena  yielded  gracefully  how- 
ever, to  the  seemingly  inevitable, 
and  following  the  line  of  least  re- 
sistance, sped  away  to  Paris  to  re- 
new her  wardrobe,  and  live  a  few 
weeks  in  the  French  capital  which 
she  had  frequently  visited  with  Mr. 
Bauer.  She  was  fond  of  gay  col- 
ors with  daring  artistic  touches, 
and  only  in  that  feminine  city 
could  she  find  the  right  combina- 
tion. Her  gowns  were  selected  to 
suit  her  moods,  so  she  adorned  her 
clothes. 

A  month  elapsed  before,  pendu- 
lum-like, she  swung  back  to  Ulm. 
A  few  days  after  her  arrival, 
Amina  sat  looking  at  her  sister's 
purchases.  She  had  never  seen 
such  beautiful  things,  for,  in  their 
quiet  life,  nobody  wore  expensive 
gowns  or  jewels,  except  on  gala 
days,  and  the  desire  for  personal 
adornment  had  never  before  pre- 
sented itself  so  forcibly. 


THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN  33 

Picking  up  a  string  of  pearls 
which  Helena  had  brought  her 
from  Paris,  she  counted  them. 
There  was  a  pearl  for  each  year  of 
her  life,  and  as  she  clasped  the 
necklace  around  her  throat,  a 
spark  of  the  feminine  within  her 
was  touched;  the  necklace  pos- 
sessed an  indefinable  charm,  and 
she  did  not  take  it  off.  They  were 
her  first  jewels.  As  Helena  con- 
tinued opening  other  boxes  con- 
taining mangels  of  things  in  lace 
and  silk,  so  beautiful  in  texture 
and  design  that  one  could  but  won- 
der at  the  hands  that  made  them, 
the  artistic  side  of  Amina's  nature 
awoke  to  the  meaning  of  such 
clothes  to  the  wearer. 

She  saw  in  a  flash  why  Helena 
loved  that  New  World  where  such 
things  were  created  and  from 
which  she  and  Joseph  had  shrunk. 
Perhaps  she  had  been  a  trifle  sel- 
fish in  not  urging  Joseph  to  return 
with  Helena,  for  the  change  from 
Ulm  to  America,  even  for  a  sea- 
son, would  certainly  give  him  a 
larger  view  of  life,  of  men,  and  of 
things  in  general. 


M  THE   SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN 

It  was  all  very  well  to  love  God, 
and  be  a  musician  like  Joseph,  but 
she  realized  also,  that  in  her  sis- 
ter's busy  world,  ideals  were  either 
moulded  into  concrete  form,  or 
cast  aside. 

As  Amina  thought  over  these 
things,  she  dressed  for  the  street, 
and  went  for  a  long  walk.  Her 
step  was  slow  and  hesitating  as  she 
left  the  house,  and  when  she  re- 
turned an  hour  later,  she  stood 
looking  at  the  Cathedral,  wishing 
that  it  could  speak  and  give  her 
some  of  the  wisdom  it  held  within 
its  walls,  so  that  she  might  know 
which  way  her  duty  lay.  When 
she  entered  the  house,  she  had  de- 
cided upon  laying  the  whole  matter 
before  Joseph. 

That  very  night  she  told  him 
frankly  that  she  thought  the 
change  would  benefit  him,  and 
concluded: 

"We  need  not  leave  Ulm  where 
the  spirit  of  content  dwells,  to 
plunge  into  Helena's  world  of  ex- 
citement; we  can  live  our  own  in- 
dividual lives,  leaving  others  to 
chase  after  butterflies." 


THE   SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN  35 

She  paused,  for  a  grim  look  of 
resolve  swept  swiftly  over  Joseph's 
face;  as  if  in  fact,  he  had  had  a 
glimpse  into  futurity.  Breathing 
deeply  he  rose  to  his  full  height 
and  slowly  said : 

"This  sacrifice  is  unnecessary. 
But  we  will  go,  for  a  season  and 
see  if  it  *pays'  as  Helena  says." 


CHAPTER   V. 

When  Joseph  told  his  devoted 
band  that  he  would  soon  be  leaving 
them,  their  protestations  of  devo- 
tion made  it  difficult  to  break  the 
last  tie  that  bound  him  to  the  old 
home.  The  night  at  last  arrived 
when  they  gave  their  final  pro- 
gram. Never  had  they  played  so 
well.  Joseph  heard  the  cheer  of 
approval  from  his  friends  who 
crowded  the  hall,  and  heard  them 
crying  lustily:  "Auf  Wiedersehen 
Kapellmeister."  His  eyes  filled 
with  tears;  he  bowed  and  lifted 
the  baton  for  one  more  mmiber. 
It  was  the  "Lorelei,"  and  the  echo 
of  the  song  was  heard  on  the  mid- 
night air  long  after  Joseph  had  re- 
tired to  rest. 

A  few  days  later  they  went 
aboard  the  great  ship  and  steamed 
away  with  Helena  to  the  New 
World.  Days  passed  and  they  sat 
unnoticed  in  a  corner  of  the  spa- 
cious salon,  but  it  was  the  violin 

36 


THE   SOUL   OF  AN   ORGAN  37 

lying  in  Joseph's  stateroom,  that 
revealed  his  secret  to  his  fellow- 
passengers,  and  he  was  asked  to 
assist  on  the  usual  concert  pro- 
gram. When  Joseph  arose  to  play 
they  received  him  coldly,  expecting 
doubtless,  to  be  bored  by  some 
mediocre  fiddler.  But  at  the  first 
inspiring  touch  df  his  bow  the  at- 
tention of  everybody  was  rivetted 
upon  him.  His  face  was  trans- 
figured, and  he  was  soon  oblivious 
to  his  surroundings.  When  his 
bow  swept  to  its  last  beat,  a  great 
wave  of  applause  greeted  him. 
Hastily  resuming  his  instrument, 
Joseph  played  a  Grieg  melody, 
filled  with  the  magnetism  of  the 
north,  and  the  feeling  of  isolation 
which  had  hitherto  enveloped  him, 
fell  away.  He  immediately  be- 
came the  center  of  attraction  and 
made  many  friends. 

They  landed  in  New  York  the 
following  day  with  a  feeling  of  un- 
mixed pleasure,  but  listened  in  a 
confusion  of  mind  to  the  din  of 
gong  and  cable  car,  and  the  roar- 
ing rushing  trains  overhead.  They 
were  particularly  interested  in  the 


38  THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN 

whirl  of  action  everywhere  in  evi- 
dence, and  were  soon  convinced 
that  this  was  indeed  a  new  land 
and  a  new  race  keyed  to  a  new 
momentum  of  speed. 

As  they  entered  Helena's  door, 
a  world  of  splendor  was  revealed. 
On  the  walls  of  the  drawing  room 
hung  paintings  from  the  brush  of 
modern  masters.  The  fjords  of 
Norway,  with  their  stupendous 
waterfalls  and  beautifully  tinted 
snow-capped  heights;  Venetian 
scenes  and  woodland  paths  soothed 
the  eye;  while  the  summer  breeze 
played  with  the  delicate  lace  cur- 
tains. The  grand  piano  was  lost  in 
an  alcove,  which  served  as  a  back- 
ground to  gold  and  tapestried  fur- 
niture; shaded  and  draned  in  soft- 
est tones  of  silken  hangings,  the  in- 
terior of  this  abode  seemed  an 
Aladdin-like  palace  to  the  two 
wanderers:  especially  to  Amina, 
for  she  had  never  even  in  imagina- 
tion, pictured  such  a  home. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

Mr.  Bauer  had  been  considered 
a  singularly  astute  man  in  the  busi- 
ness world  but  he  had  made  no 
secret  of  the  fact  that  he  owed  his 
success  to  his  wife's  good  judg- 
ment and  keen  insight  into  his 
moneyed  interests. 

The  entire  management  of  the 
business  had  now  fallen  into  her 
hands.  It  was  the  detail  con- 
nected with  it  that  irked  her,  and 
it  was  here  that  Joseph's  well 
known  characteristics,  developed 
through  years  of  concentration 
that  had  taught  him  the  value  of 
time,  served  him  in  good  stead. 
He  called  for  assistants  from  Mr. 
Bauer's  former  employees,  and  the 
early  morning  hours  of  the  day 
found  him  hard  at  work  in  the 
office  looking  into  Helena's  ac- 
counts, where  she  left  him  to  con- 
duct the  business  in  his  own  way. 

From  the  moment  that  Amina 
stepped    into    Helena's    home,    a 

39 


40  THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN 

round  of  gaiety  with  all  its  accom- 
panying frivolity,  kept  her  in  a 
continual  whirl  of  excitement  from 
morning  until  night. 

While  dressing,  in  an  abandon 
of  delight,  for  her  first  night  at  the 
opera,  she  glanced  in  the  mirror 
and  saw  a  stranger  reflected  there. 

The  low-cut  evening  gown  of 
pearl-trimmed  cream-colored  satin 
Irevealed  the  exquisitely  moulded 
form  of  a  beautiful  woman. 

The  brown  hair  parted  in  the 
middle  of  the  low,  broad  forehead 
and  falling  over  the  tips  of  the 
small  ears,  was  softly  twisted  into 
a  psyche  knot  at  the  back  of  the 
shapely  head. 

For  a  moment  Amina  stood  gaz- 
ing at  the  mirror  before  it  dawned 
on  her  that  she  was  looking  at  her 
own  reflection  in  the  glass.  Then 
she  awoke  to  a  new  sense  of  power, 
which  beauty  alone  gives,  and 
turning,  descended  the  winding 
stairway  in  a  bewildered  state  of 
mind.  The  Amina  of  Ulm  had  re- 
incarnated. 

Joseph  stood  faultlessly  attired 
in  evening  dress,  and  watched  her 


THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN  41 

as  she  came,  then  bowing  low,  said 
in  a  tone  of  mock  humility: 

"May  I  have  the  honor  of  escort- 
ing Lady  Amina  to  the  opera  to- 
night?" 

Amina  courtesied  and  replied : 

"I  have  been  looking  forward  to 
this  night  and  hoped  that  it  might 
be  possible  for  us  to  go  together. 
Just  think,  Joseph,  of  the  changes 
that  have  taken  place  since  you  last 
led  your  orchestra." 

Amina  was  evidently  stirred,  for 
she  added:  "We  must  take  up  our 
music  studies  and  be  serious  once 
more." 

His  sensitive  lips  twitched  as  she 
said  it,  but  he  bit  them  into  firm- 
ness, and  a  sterner  look,  that  was 
almost  austere,  stamped  itself 
upon  his  face.  The  life  in  New 
York  had  wrought  a  greater 
change  in  Joseph  than  in  Amina. 
A  dignity  of  bearing  had  always 
been  a  distinguishing  feature  of 
his  make  up,  for  it  seemed  to  sepa- 
rate him  indefinably  from  other 
men  less  introspective.  He  was 
conscious,  however,  of  a  lack  of 
physical  strength,  for  in  trjring  to 


42  THE   SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN 

keep  pace  with  the  standard  Amer- 
ican business  man,  the  end  of  the 
day  found  him  too  tired  for  study. 

"Helena's  investments  need  my 
undivided  attention,"  he  said  to 
Amina,  when  she  questioned  and 
expostulated  with  him  for  becom- 
ing submerged  in  the  world  of 
finance. 

Helena  appeared  superbly 
gowned  in  a  riot  of  color,  and 
wearing  her  famous  rubies.  She 
gave  her  brother  and  sister  a 
glance  of  approval  as  she  wrapped 
her  sable  cloak  about  her,  and  filled 
with  the  joy  of  life,  descended  the 
steps  to  her  waiting  car.  Her 
opera  box  was  the  cynosure  of  all 
eyes  that  evening,  for  its  occupants 
were  distinctively  charming  in  ev- 
ery particular.  From  that  night 
the  Metropolitan  Opera  House  be- 
came a  veritable  shrine  to  Amina, 
and  she  revelled  in  the  appearance 
of  each  new  attraction,  until  the 
opening  of  the  early  Spring  morn- 
ing musicales  which  enchanted  her, 
because  they  were  possibly,  more 
intimate  affairs :  the  artists  seemed 
more  human. 


THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN  43 

The  end  of  the  season's  intro- 
duction to  New  York's  social  life 
found  Amina  eager  for  the  change 
offered  by  Helena  to  the  quiet 
of  the  country.  Not  until  she 
heard  Helena  directing  the  prep- 
aration of  the  summer  home, 
did  she  know  how  tired  she  was. 
A  lassitude  stole  over  her  which 
she  was  unable  to  shake  off,  and 
when  the  day  came  for  the  closing 
of  the  town  house  her  lagging  feet 
would  scarcely  take  her  to  the  train 
which  bore  her  rapidly  away  to 
green  fields  and  pastures  new. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

During  the  hot  and  sultry 
sununer  months,  Helena  lavishly 
entertained  her  numerous  friends 
in  her  country  house  on  the  Hud- 
son. It  stood  on  a  bold  promon- 
tory  commanding  an  inspiring 
view  of  that  noble  river,  and  it  was 
there,  amid  the  poetry  in  nature 
which  awakened  to  the  whispering 
of  the  muses  dwelling  along  the 
banks,  that  Joseph  and  Amina 
drank  in  their  first  breath  of  free- 
dom  from  care  in  the  New  World. 

One  day  as  Joseph  stood  idly 
watching  the  early  morning  train 
as  it  crawled  into  the  station  on  its 
way  to  the  city,  it  seemed  to  take 
on  the  form  of  a  great  ogre  swal- 
lowing its  meal  of  suburbanites, 
and  crawling  out  again  with  an  ex- 
ultant shriek  of  delight.  Joseph 
turned  away  and  lost  himself  in  the 
cool  shade  of  a  neighboring  grove, 
where  all  thought  of  the  business 
world  fell  away  and  melted  into 
the  hazy  atmosphere  hanging  over 

44 


THE   SOUL   OF   x\N   ORGAN  45 

the  river.    The  spirit  of  content 
breathed  through  the  trees. 

While  humming  a  half- forgotten 
melody,  his  attention  was  arrested 
by  the  tolling  of  the  bell  in  the  ivy- 
covered  belfry  of  the  village 
church.  There  was  a  peculiar  ten- 
derness in  the  sound,  for  it  was 
keyed  to  the  same  pitch  as  the 
great  old  bell  in  Ulm,  and  it  fell  on 
Joseph's  sensitive  ear  like  a  distant 
echo  of  the  Cathedral  bell.  He 
stood  for  a  moment  entranced,  lis- 
tening to  its  sweet  message,  then 
with  but  one  thought,  that  of  get- 
ting nearer  to  the  tolling  bell,  he 
turned  towards  the  church  and  on 
entering  the  door  found  himself, 
alone.  The  rapt  stillness  quelled 
the  rapid  beating  of  his  heart,  and 
he  dropped  into  the  first  seat  he 
came  to  and  bowed  his  head  to  re- 
ceive the  benediction  he  felt  was 
there.  The  birds  sang  in  the  trees, 
while  the  perfume-laden  air  floated 
in  through  the  open  window.  An 
organ  stood  in  the  chancel;  the 
gift  of  a  wealthy  communicant 
who  spent  his  summers  in  that 
vicinity. 


46  THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN 

As  Joseph  raised  his  head,  his 
eyes  fell  upon  the  organ.  The 
ends  of  his  fingers  began  to  tingle 
and  reach  out  to  touch  it;  the  urge 
grew  stronger  by  the  moment,  un> 
til  finally  he  rose  and  falteringly 
made  his  way  to  the  instrument. 
As  he  took  his  seat  in  the  organ 
loft,  his  critical  eye  ran  over  it  and 
he  gauged  its  possibihties  with  mo- 
mentarily increasing  interest;  but 
the  instant  his  fingers  lightly 
touched  the  keys,  and  his  feet 
found  the  pedals,  he  knew  it  to  be 
an  instrument  worthy  of  the  inter- 
pretation of  the  masters.  The  mo- 
ments slipped  by,  until  he  lost  all 
mental  cognition  of  time.  The 
great  orchestra  concealed  in  the 
organ  awoke  and  crashed  out  into 
symphonic  waves  of  sound,  such  as 
had  never  been  heard  in  that  edi- 
fice. During  the  pauses  in  the  mu- 
sic, the  silence  in  the  church  was 
eloquent,  there  was  such  hope,  such 
comfort  in  it. 

Amina  had  missed  her  brother, 
and  on  going  in  search  of  him 
heard  the  thundering  tones  of  the 
church  organ  in  the  distance.    She 


THE   SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN  47 

quickly  followed  it,  knowing  that 
only  Joseph's  fingers  could  be 
manipulating  the  keys. 

On  entering  the  church  she  sank 
to  her  knees,  listening  spellbound 
to  the  wonderful  music.  Joseph 
had  found  the  path  to  the  organ 
and  she  knew  what  that  meant  to 
him.  She  had  not  been  blind  to  his 
apathy  for  his  art,  but  now  he  was 
playing  with  a  fervor  that  re- 
minded her  of  the  days  when  she 
heard  him  in  the  Cathedral. 

Amina  regained  her  courage  and 
through  it  was  able  to  meet  the 
coming,  but  unseen  blow,  with  for- 
titude. 

As  Joseph  closed  the  morning*s 
musicale  with  an  improvisation 
which  pictured,  with  crescendo  ef- 
fects the  storm  through  which  he 
was  passing,  he  closed  the  organ 
and  stood  facing,  but  not  seeing 
Amina.  Startled  at  the  sight  of 
his  wan  visage,  she  covered  her 
eyes  with  her  hands%  She  was  not 
weeping,  but  a  sense  of  an  impend- 
ing sorrow  swept  over  her.  Jo- 
seph descended  the  steps  of  the 
chancel  and  walking  slowly  down 


48  THE    SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN 

the  aisle,  came  upon  Amina  stand- 
ing in  the  shadow.  Taking  her 
hands  in  his,  he  spoke  to  her  in  a 
voice  just  above  a  whisper,  while 
a  wave  of  melancholy  swept  over 
him. 

"There  is  a  cry  way  down  in  my 
heart  that  will  not  be  silenced.  We 
are  not  the  same  in  spirit  as  when 
living  by  the  Cathedral's  side! 
There,  we  lived  in  harmony  with 
our  surroundings.  Here,  I  feel 
like  a  tired  child  who  has  no  home. 
I  thought  that  Helena's  affairs 
needed  all  my  time,  but  I  have 
'paid  the  price.'  My  health  is 
shattered!" 

His  voice  rose  to  a  cry  of 
anguish  as  he  said: 

"I  am  at  war  with  everything 
around  me.  I  am  out  of  my 
orbit!" 

Amina's  eyes  were  like  two 
smoldering  coals  of  fire  as  she 
patted  his  hand  and  said : 

"Hush,  brother,  this  is  a  passing 
phase  of  our  life.  It  is  our  first 
summer  in  the  country,  and  you 
know  that  the  weather  is  very  try- 
ing.    Let  us  confer  with  Doctor 


THE   SOUL   or   AN   ORGAN  49 

Bell  and  then  consider  the  next 
best  thing  to  do." 

"Doctor  Bell  can  do  nothing  for 
me,  for  I  am  soul  sick."  As  Jo- 
seph said  this,  he  glanced  up  at 
Amina  who  stood  very  still  by  his 
side,  while  the  lines  of  her  face 
deepened.  "However,"  he  quickly 
added,  "you  are  worrying  over  me, 
so  I  will  reconsider  the  matter,  for 
Doctor  Bell  might  suggest  some- 
thing that  would  lift  this  mental 
depression." 

"This  spirit  that  is  hovering 
over  you,  brother,  is  but  a  cloud 
that  will  soon  fade  away.  Let  us 
go  home  now,  for  you  are  tired." 

When  Doctor  Bell  arrived  in  re- 
sponse to  Amina's  urgent  call,  the 
influence  of  his  cheery  voice  and 
magnetic  presence  pervaded  the 
house.  After  conversing  on  mat- 
ters quite  foreign  to  the  sick  room, 
he  turned  and  questioned  Joseph 
closely,  and  then  sat  absorbed  in 
thought.  The  ticldng  of  the  clock 
was  audible. 

As  Doctor  Bell's  voice  broke  the 
intense  stillness,  it  was  evident  that 
he  had  diagnosed  the  case  to  his 


50  THE   SOUL   OF  AN   OEGAN 

own  satisfaction,  for  he  said,  in  a 
tone  of  authority: 

"You  have  used  up  your  surplus 
energy  and  are  now  living  on  your 
nerv^e.  No  vital  organ,  as  yet,  at- 
tacked; heart  action  perhaps  a  lit- 
tle weak,  therefore  liable  to  give 
way  under  severe  strain.  The 
truth  is  that  you  are  only  half  alive 
to  this  work-a-day  world.  You 
are  living  more  on  the  psychic 
plane  of  life  than  on  the  physical. 
The  specific  thing  you  are  suffer- 
ing from  is  called  'Nostalgia,'  but 
the  old-fashioned  name  for  it  is 
'Homesickness.'  " 

The  doctor  rose  and,  buttoning 
his  coat,  gripped  Joseph's  hand  as 
he  concluded: 

"Medicine  cannot  reach  your 
case.  However,  there  is  no  need, 
in  these  days  of  science,  in  being 
half -alive.  Work  over  yourself; 
diet,  and  you  will  pull  through  all 
right,"  and,  bidding  him  cheer  up 
and  look  on  the  bright  side  of  life, 
left  Joseph  facing  his  problem, 
perhaps,  more  philosophically. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

A  week  later,  on  entering  the 
breakfast  room  earlier  than  usual, 
Amina  found  Joseph  seated  in  his 
armchair,  but  unconscious.  An 
hour  elapsed  before  a  pressure  on 
her  hand  enclosing  his  rewarded 
her  efforts  to  arouse  him.  As  he 
slowly  opened  his  eyes,  there  was 
a  look  in  them  which  she  had  never 
seen  before. 

"Sister,"  he  said,  "my  days  on 
earth  are  numbered." 

"Joseph!" 

"Listen  to  me,"  he  whispered, 
as  he  soothingly  stroked  her  hand. 
"I  know — I  know.  I  shall  follow 
the  doctor's  advice,  but  I  am  fully 
prepared  for  any  event  in  nature 
that  may  take  place;  perhaps 
*Heimweh'  has  stolen  into  my 
veins.  'Homesickness,'  however, 
is  not  always  fatal."  He  said  this 
with  a  forced  smile  that  ended  in  a 
slight  sob.  It  was  full  of  unutter- 
able dreariness.       "Ailsa  came  to 

61 


52  THE   SOUL   OF  AN    ORGAN 

me  last  night,  as  she  has  done  on 
several  previous  occasions.  What 
the  law  is  whereby  she  reaches  me 
I  do  not  know.  As  Ailsa  can  come 
to  me,  so  there  is  a  way  whereby  I 
can  return  to  you." 

"Brother,  you  must  live.  The 
doctor  has  ordered  you  home,  and 
says  that  there  must  be  no  delay 
in  your  departure.  This  voyage 
will  bring  you  around  all  right." 

She  talked  fast  and  with  un- 
usual determination,  as  if  afraid 
of  being  swerved  from  her  pur- 
pose. 

"Perhaps  it  will  be  the  best 
thing  for  me  to  do,  Amina,"  he  re- 
plied. "I  will  pull  myself  together 
and  leave  on  the  first  steamer  for 
home." 

Helena  was  greatly  concerned 
over  Joseph's  illness. 

"It  does  seem  strange,"  she  said, 
with  an  unusual  frown  on  her  face, 
"that  he  cannot  be  contented  here 
in  America.  However,  if  he  must 
go,  let  it  be  as  soon  as  possible." 

"Let  me  return  with  him?" 
pleaded  Amina. 

"No,  no,"  said  Helena  quickly. 


THE   SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN  53 

*'Why  should  you  wish  to  leave  me 
here  alone?  He  may  return  al- 
most immediately,  for  the  voyage 
will  restore  him  to  health."  Helena 
prevailed,  and  Amina  reluctantly 
consented  to  remain. 

Two  weeks  later  found  Joseph 
in  Ulm  under  the  shadow  of  the 
Cathedral  and  in  the  midst  of  his 
former  associates.  The  change  in 
the  Kapellmeister  was  apparent  to 
all,  but  the  calm  dignity  of  his  de- 
meanor forbade  any  one  from  al- 
luding to  it.  They  were  satisfied 
to  see  him  once  more  sitting  in  the 
Cathedral  and  listening  to  the  bell 
as  it  tolled  the  hour. 

**It  is  the  same  dear  old  spot,'' 
he  wrote  Amina,  "but  I  have 
changed.  When  we  left  Ulm,  we 
snapped  the  magic  tie  of  music, 
more  subtle  than  the  wind  that 
blows  in  summer  days.  I  sought 
an  unequal  match;  I  tried  to  live 
the  way  of  the  world,  and  retain 
the  life  of  the  spirit.  However,  I 
am  going  tomorrow  to  my  old  seat 
in  the  organ  loft  of  the  Cathedral, 
where  I  hope  to  regain  my  lost 
ambition." 


54  THE   SOUI.   OF   AN   ORGAN 

It  was  evening  when  Amina  sat 
holding  the  letter  in  her  hand, 
while  she  looked  at  a  portrait  of 
Joseph,  done  in  pastel,  hanging  on 
the  wall.  His  very  presence 
seemed  to  breathe  through  it.  Was 
it  her  fancy  that  the  face  had  un- 
dergone a  change?  The  eyes  look- 
ing into  hers  were  suddenly  alive. 
The  portrait  was  obscured  by  a 
blue  light  which  gathered  slowly 
in  form,  until  Joseph's  face, 
etherealized,  floated  from  the 
frame,  while  a  voice  from  the  ceil- 
ing said: 

"Amina,  I  am  free!" 


CHAPTER   IX. 

The  following  day  a  cablegram 
dated  from  Ulm  was  received.  It 
read: 

"Joseph  died  yesterday  after- 
noon in  the  Cathedral."  The  fol- 
lowing week  the  news  was  con- 
firmed by  letter.  Joseph's  death 
had  occurred  during  the  service, 
The  music  had  suddenly  ceased, 
and,  on  searching  for  the  cause, 
the  form  of  Joseph  lying  on  the 
organ  manual  solved  the  mystery. 
Tenderly  they  bore  him  to  his  old 
home,  but  life  was  extinct.  He 
was  buried  in  the  shadow  of  the 
Cathedral,  and  was  at  rest  at  last. 

The  lives  of  the  two  sisters  now 
ran  in  parallel  lines.  Helena  once 
more  took  the  reins  of  business 
into  her  own  hands,  but  with  a 
more  subdued  manner.  The  lone- 
ly hours  spent  by  Amina  in  the 
dimly-lit  music  room  became  more 
frequent  as  the  weeks  went  by. 

One  evening,  as  she  sat  playing 

55 


56  THE   SOUL  OF  AN   OEGAN 

Handel's  "Largo,"  there  seemed 
to  be  a  movement  in  the  frame  en- 
closing Joseph's  portrait.  Scarce- 
ly daring  to  believe  her  senses,  she 
waited.  His  eyes  moved,  and  in  a 
few  seconds  his  form  floated  out 
into  the  room  and  stood  by  the 
piano. 

"Amina,"  he  said,  "I  can  only 
remain  a  few  moments.  I  have  but 
little  strength — "  the  voice  was 
just  audible,  and  then  ceased  alto- 
gether. 

Amina  sat  motionless,  for  it  was 
evident  that  Joseph  was  making  an 
effort  to  proceed.  She  sensed  that 
through  her  own  passive  strength 
he  gained  his  momentarily,  and 
was  soon  rewarded  by  hearing  him 
say  distinctly: 

"You  wish  to  know  how  I  left 
earth  life?  When  I  went  to  the 
Cathedral  in  Ulm  my  heart  was 
cold.  The  old  organ  loft  did  not 
seem  the  same  to  me.  But  I  con- 
tinued playing,  until  finally  the 
soul  of  the  organ  awoke,  and  I  rea- 
lized that  I  was  truly  playing  the 
anthem  of  my  life.  One  theme 
followed  another  in  quick  succes- 


THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN  57 

sion,  until  the  joy  of  perfect  mel- 
ody overpowered  me.  Then  there 
came  a  crash,  and  I  fell  forward 
on  the  keyboard.  After  one  mo- 
ment of  oblivion,  a  great  peace 
stole  over  me,  when  I  became  con- 
scious of  moving  away  from  my 
body.  Hovering  in  space,  I  looked 
down  upon  it  through  a  bluish 
light.  I  had  no  desire  to  return, 
and  was  filled  with  a  great  calm. 
Then  someone  whose  voice  was 
familiar  said: 

"  *You  must  return  to  earth  life, 
they  want  you  over  there.' 

"Reluctantly  and  painfully,  I 
attempted  to  squeeze  myself  into 
my  body.  It  seemed  an  eternity, 
and  I  knew  that  I  had  outgrown 
my  frame.  I  could  endure  it  no 
longer,  and  cried  out:  'I  will  not 
go  back.'  " 

"Then  came  oblivion.  I  do  not 
know  how  long  I  lay  there,  but  I 
realized  that  I  was  being  suspend- 
ed above  that  body  by  an  invisible 
hand,  and  heard  a  voice  like  a 
zephyr  uttering  words  of  encour- 
agement, as  if  to  someone  just 
awakening  from  sleep. 


58  THE   SOUL   OF  AN   OEGAN 

"  *The  butterfly  is  coming  out  of 
the  chrysalis.  He  will  soon  be  with 
us,'  it  said  in  tones  so  rythmical 
that  they  seemed  like  music  to  my 
soul,  and,  fearing  nothing,  I  awak- 
ened to  find  myself  slipping  away 
on  a  raft  which  was  being  carried 
down  a  swiftly  running  stream.  I 
soon  came  into  a  beautiful  valley 
of  peace,  where  the  air  was  balmy 
and  exquisitely  perfumed." 

Joseph's  voice  ceased,  while  his 
form  began  to  fade. 

"Watch  for  me;  I  will  return," 
he  added,  and  with  a  sigh  passed  to 
the  open  window,  and  dissolved  in 
the  moonlight.  Amina  stood  dazed 
before  the  canvas  portrait  hanging 
intact  in  its  old  place  on  the  wall. 
She  had  seen  and  talked  with 
Joseph.    Wonderful  night! 


CHAPTER  X. 

Amina  lived  through  the  days 
for  the  nights  to  come;  for  the  hour 
when  she  might  retire  to  her  room 
and  in  the  dim  light  play  soft 
strains  of  music,  Joseph's  favorite 
themes,  hoping  that  the  desire  of 
her  heart  would  be  granted,  when 
she  would  be  reassured  that  his 
visit  was  not  all  a  dream.  She  must 
believe  her  senses,  else  they  could 
no  longer  guide  her?  He  could  re- 
turn, for  he  had  spoken  to  her.  His 
desire  to  visit  this  world  had  not 
ceased  with  his  death!  She  was 
playing  an  old  melody  in  the  twi- 
light, when  she  became  conscious 
of  the  same  subtle  influence  per- 
vading the  room  which  had  thrilled 
her  on  the  occasion  of  his  previous 
visit. 

A  great  peace  filled  her  heart. 
She  heard  a  sigh,  just  a  breath, 
and  Joseph  stood  by  her  side. 

"When  you  touch  those  chords, 
Amina,"  he  said,  pointing  to  the 

69 


60  THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN 

piano,  "there  is  an  answering  thrill 
in  my  heart  which  draws  me  to  you, 
like  a  silvery  thread  which  forms 
a  bridge  between  our  two  worlds  of 
existence.  Certain  strains  of  mu- 
sic kindle  new  fires  beyond  the  veil, 
which  light  the  torches  carried  by 
angel  messengers  to  earth-bound 
souls,  and  illumine  the  way.  Ethers 
of  light  of  exquisite  color  envelop 
himian  beings  through  whom  music 
finds  expression.  The  music  is 
then  carried  through  the  wireless 
as  a  healing  force ;  like  a  sweet  per- 
fume, and  is  wafted  on  the  breeze, 
stirring  old  memories  so  soothing, 
so  dear.  Your  touch  on  this  in- 
strument, full  of  soul  essence,  vi- 
brates through  the  densest  ethers 
and  produces  overtones,  with  their 
sympathetic  octaves,  until  a  world 
of  sound  swoons  its  way  to  realms 
of  life  far  beyond  this  plane  of  ex- 
istence; and  so,  on  that  wave  of 
sound,  I  feel  my  way  to  you." 

"Brother,  I  am  so  glad  to  know 
that  you  wish  to  come  to  me." 

"Unselfish  devotion  can  bridge 
chasms.  I  have  also  visited  the  old 
home  in  Ulm.     If  it  had  been  a 


THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN  61 

mountain  hut,  I  would  still  wish 
to  return.  Memories  are  doubly 
dear  where  music  has  dwelt.  I 
tried  to  find  solace  in  music  while 
earth-bound,  but  I  can  never  tell 
you,  in  words,  of  the  beauty  of  the 
music  I  now  hear.  Like  a  thous- 
and stringed  instrimients,  and  at 
first  so  faint  that  my  ear  strained 
to  catch  the  harmonies.  The  wind 
blows  through  the  trees,  mingling 
with  the  murmur  of  the  waters  in 
making  music  indescribable.  As 
it  grows  in  intensity  of  sound,  the 
vibrations  of  the  atmospheric 
ethers  take  form  in  changing  colors 
and  so  give  outward  expression  to 
the  music,  until  one  is  in  a  state  of 
ecstasy  listening  to  it  and  seeing  it 
interpreted  in  symphonies  of  color 
never  seen  on  sea  or  land." 

As  Amina  listened  to  these  reve- 
lations she  wished  that  she,  too, 
might  hear  this  ravishing  music. 

"You  are  about  to  ask  me  to 
take  you  to  the  celestial  realms," 
he  said.  "Hold  no  such  thoughts, 
for  Helena  needs  you.  My 
thoughts  will  impress  you,  if  you 
act  on  that  inner  urge  which  ac- 


62  THE   SOUL   OF  AN   OEGAN 

companies  those  impressions.  Be 
faithful  to  them,  for  then  you 
strengthen  the  connecting  cord  be- 
tween us;  and,  above  all,  be  pa- 
tient. There  is  a  home  building 
for  you  on  the  other  side  which, 
through  your  loving  thoughts, 
grows  into  perfection  for  your  oc- 
cupation." 

"Oh,  how  long  it  is  in  building! 
Why  must  I  wait?"  Amina's  face 
was  a  picture  of  despair. 

"Hush!"  said  Joseph  tenderly; 
"while  in  the  flesh  I  breathed  my- 
self into  an  atmosphere  filled  with 
sighs  of  self-pity,  thereby  losing 
my  birthright  of  healthy  manifes- 
tation through  the  flesh  which 
stood  for  the  personal  I." 

Joseph  hesitated  for  a  few  sec- 
onds, then  in  a  voice  which  grew 
stronger  and  more  commanding  in 
tone,  continued: 

"No  soul  can  progress  that  ques- 
tions the  way.  For  every  step  is  a 
precious  link  in  an  endless  chain  of 
events.  From  life  to  life.  We 
were  rythmically  connected 
through  the  subtle,  sympathetic 
family  tie.    But  we  must  free  our- 


THE   SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN  63 

selves  from  all  ties  that  bind  us, 
and  become  lost  in  the  one  great 
love.  It  is  found  in  service  for 
others,  ilctivity  in  passivity  is  in- 
vulnerable. Let  go  of  the  things 
wliich  bind  you,  and  press  on.  It 
is  the  letting  go  that  counts  and 
makes  the  good  soldier.  Helena  is 
a  good  soldier!" 

"Joseph!"  gasped  Amina. 

"Helena,  I  repeat,  is  a  good  sol- 
dier. Every  moment  counts  for 
something  with  her.  She  can  do 
no  more  until  she  sees  a  higher 
light  and  lives  through  and  out  of 
her  limitations.  She  now  lives  in 
the  rythm  of  her  life  on  the  materi- 
al plane,  so  she  attracts  to  her  ma- 
terial things.  Through  assuming 
responsibilities,  she  is  solving  her 
problems.  But  she  is  on  the  wheels 
of  the  gods.  They  grind  slowly, 
you  know,  and  finally  leave  but  a 
handful  of  dust  which  a  puff  of 
wind  blows  away." 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Joseph's  breath  came  spasmodi- 
cally, yet  it  was  evident  that  he 
wished  to  say  something  more. 
After  a  few  moments  of  silence, 
during  which  time  his  body  seemed 
to  grow  more  tangible,  he  re- 
sumed : 

"It  is  so  difficult  to  breathe  this 
dense  atmosphere — so  dense — ^to 
reach  you.  Every  time  I  return 
here  to  you  my  progress  in  gaining 
the  inner  worlds  is  retarded.  How- 
ever, while  I  have  strength  I  must 
tell  you  more  of  the  life  of  the 
Spirit.  That  life  which  adjusts 
itself  to,  and  includes,  the  life 
physical." 

"How  can  the  mortal,  while  liv- 
ing in  the  sense  body  of  flesh,  live 
the  Ufe  of  the  Spirit?" 

"There  is  an  impulse  of  the  cen- 
tered breath,  sister,  which,  if  once 
controlled  by  man  under  all  cir- 
cumstances, becomes  the  imibilical 
cord  of  connection  with  the  breath 

64 


THE   SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN  65 

of  worlds  within  worlds :  with  uni- 
versal life  itself.  It  is  the  cord 
which  connects  Mother  Nature 
with  her  children.  Limitations  are 
broken  through  and  planes  of  con- 
sciousness, undreamed  of,  are  con- 
tacted. It  is  only  through  getting 
into  the  rythm  of  life,  through 
breath  control,  that  we  breathe 
around  ourselves,  consciously  or 
unconsciously,  a  protective  atmos- 
phere; sleeping  or  waking,  and  so 
gain  health  and  happiness.  The 
physical  energy  is  transmuted: 
keyed  to  a  higher  vibration,  as  it 
were.  When  the  thrill  accompany- 
ing this  transmutation  is  recog- 
nized by  the  mortal,  discord  ceases. 
The  body  pulsates  with  health,  is 
rejuvenated,  in  fact,  and  refuses  to 
return  to  its  former  psychic  envir- 
onment. Where  it  existed  a  pris- 
oner in  the  meshes  of  flesh  inherit- 
ance, or  even  obsession,  and  is 
free." 

"You  claim,  then,  that  we  grow 
in  higher  understanding  of  self; 
find  larger  expression,  as  it  were, 
through  gaining  control  of  the  cen- 
tered breath  impulse?" 


66  THE   SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN 

"The  recognition,  alone,  of  this 
breath  impulse  which  throbs  and 
thrills,  quickens  the  energies  of  the 
mortal.  He  finds  himself  in  the 
attitude  of  expectancy — of  listen- 
ing. Because  the  life  of  the  Spirit 
has  made  its  connection,  and  pulls 
that  cord,  while  the  voice  of  the 
Spirit  calls  to  the  forces  of  the 
body  to  transmute  energy  to  the 
planes  of  inspiration  and  knowl- 
edge which,  when  reached,  are  ever 
normal  planes  where  every  activity 
of  mind  and  body  serve  in  rythmic 
conscious  unison  and  the  mortal  is 
free:  has  attained  his  birthright. 
Those  hours  of  expectancy,  when 
falling  asleep  at  night  and  awaken- 
ing in  the  morning,  are  two  great 
hours  of  the  day  when  one  should 
seek  protection  from  their  source 
of  life.  At  night,  the  centered  im- 
pulse of  the  breath  creates  an  at- 
mosphere of  protection  around  one, 
like  the  shell  around  the  egg.  In 
the  morning,  the  impulse  quickens 
the  pulse,  and  the  mortal  slowly 
awakens  to  a  profound  stillness 
within.  The  mortal  awakens  to — 
energy!" 


THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN  67 

"When  mortals,  who  are  not  in- 
terested in  these  laws  of  life,  drop 
their  mantle  of  flesh  while  still  re- 
taining their  desire  to  live  on  this 
earth  plane,  what  is  their  portion 
in  the  realms  celestial?" 

A  look  of  tenderest  pity  swept 
over  Joseph's  face,  while  he 
breathed  deeply  and  shivered. 

"I  did  not  intend  to  touch  upon 
that  subject,  but  since  you  wish  to 
know  I  will  tell  you.  One  evening 
as  I  stood  on  the  brink  of  a  chasm 
a  strange  moaning  sound  fell  on 
my  ear.  Looking  across  the  chasm 
in  the  direction  from  which  it  came, 
I  saw  a  desolate  tract  of  land, 
where  many  people  were  moving 
about  in  a  grey  misty  light.  Ques- 
tioning a  companion  standing  by 
my  side  in  regard  to  them,  he  said: 
'They  are  earth-bound  souls  who 
squandered  their  lease  of  life  in 
pandering  to  their  own  selfish  de- 
sires, and,  upon  passing  out,  came 
here  before  they  had  made  ready  a 
mansion  or  even  a  garment  to  live 
in.  They  shun  their  neighbors, 
and  their  groanings  and  whisper- 
ings, created  by  their  discordant 


68  THE   SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN 

thoughts,  produce  a  cold  wind 
which  blows  through  the  trees  and 
over  the  waters,  and  fills  their 
hearts  with  misery  as  they  creep 
away  to  hide  themselves  and  think 
over  their  lost  opportunities.  That 
woman,'  pointing  through  the 
gloom  to  a  female  figure  that  was 
trying  to  hold  together  a  few 
brown  rags  over  her  shivering 
form,  'had  untold  wealth  at  her 
command  while  in  earth-life,  but 
lived  for  herself  alone,  so  that 
hardly  one  sympathetic  thought 
followed  her  here.  Her  garments 
are  what  her  thoughts  wove.  Pov- 
erty and  rags,  and  you  see  that 
even  they  do  not  completely  cover 
her.  Beings  like  herself  are  there, 
on  their  incompleted  mission,  still 
blind  to  the  possibilities  of  a  con- 
tinued existence,  and,  instead  of 
going  in  search  of  the  sunshine, 
they  remain  to  talk  over  the  ma- 
larial regions  of  the  past:  always 
an  unprofitable  subject.  They 
passed  through  earth-life  with  all 
senses  dulled  to  the  sufferings  of 
others;  not  trying  to  make  their 
brother    happier,   or    even    more 


THE   SOUL  OF   AN   ORGAN  69 

hopeful.  They  were  not  interested 
in  the  problems  of  humanity,  so,  in 
their  greed,  deprived  other  mortals 
of  their  share  in  the  things  which 
go  to  make  up  a  successful  hfe. 
Therefore,  through  lack  of  har- 
monious vibrations  in  their  sur- 
rounding atmosphere,  they  became 
disintegrated,  losing  thereby  their 
body  of  flesh,  and  now,  clothed  in 
rusty,  ragged  garments,  remain 
isolated  and  alone,  until  restitution 
in  earth-life  has  been  fully  made 
through  those  they  left  behind 
them." 

Joseph's  voice  sank  to  a  sigh, 
and  then  all  was  still.  A  cloud  of 
mist  veiled  Amina's  eyes,  and  when 
she  looked  again  at  the  portrait  on 
the  wall,  only  a  few  seconds  had 
elapsed,  but  she  was  alone. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Amina  now  devoted  her  even- 
ings to  music,  while  the  gift  of  im- 
provisation became  hers.  Joseph 
had  listened  and  reproduced  the 
chorales  of  the  skies,  so  she,  too, 
listened  and  heard.  It  helped  her 
to  maintain  her  faith  in  the  Su- 
preme Power.  Supreme,  for  noth- 
ing that  man  could  conceive  of 
would  approach  the  wondrous  cre- 
ations described  by  her  brother. 
Her  hfe  here,  in  comparison, 
seemed  pent  up  in  narrow  confines. 
So  she  waited  night  after  night, 
hoping  to  hear  more  of  that  New 
World  to  which  he  had  gone 
Weeks  elapsed,  but  Joseph  did  not 
come.  Months  passed  by,  while 
she  sat,  hungry  hearted,  and  with 
waning  courage,  waiting  for  a  sign, 
a  word,  until  finally  her  heart  grew 
cold. 

Helena  had  grown  very  tender 
in  her  affection  for  her  sister,  who 
seemed  to  be  drifting  into  a  sea  of 

70 


THE   SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN  71 

lethargy  from  which  she  was  pow- 
erless to  rescue  her.  Amina  rec- 
ognized Helena's  efforts  in  her  be- 
half, and  struggled  against  the  ob- 
session which  was  paralyzing  her 
energies.  But  it  was  useless,  for 
she  had  allowed  herself  to  drift. 
Continued  thoughts  of  the  life  be- 
yond, combined  with  her  intense 
desire  to  know^  more  of  it,  had  led 
her  to  silent  hours  of  meditation 
and  solitude,  without  any  centering 
thought  beyond  that  of  wishing  to 
talk  with  Joseph.  Therefore,  she 
had  become  negative,  had  relin- 
(juished  her  birthright,  her  indi- 
viduality. 

It  lacked  six  days  of  being  the 
anniversary  of  Joseph's  death, 
when  Amina  sat  playing  a  Chopin 
Nocturne  in  the  dim  light;  a  sigh 
breathed  itself  through  the  air,  and 
Joseph  stood  looking  into  her  eyes. 

"I  have  come,"  he  said,  smiling 
radiantly  upon  her. 

"Did  my  desire  to  see  you  once 
more  reach  you,  brother?" 

"It  was  the  compelling  power 
which  brought  me  to  you.  I  came 
through  the  law  of  desire." 


72  THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN 

He  took  her  hand  with  a  firm 
but  gentle  touch,  which  Amina  re- 
turned with  a  hand  clasp.  Ques- 
tioningly,  she  looked  at  him. 

"What  form  is  this  you  wear, 
brother?  It  is  the  same,  and  yet  it 
is  not.     Tell  me." 

"This  form  was  my  inheritance 
on  entering  the  celestial  sphere  in 
which  I  now  live.  It  is  infinitely 
stronger  in  every  way  than  the  old 
earth  form." 

As  Joseph  continued  speaking, 
Amina's  emotions  were  so  intense 
that  her  heart  almost  ceased  to 
beat. 

"And  now,  sister,  I  have  found 
a  still  greater  world  than  I  knew 
of  when  I  was  here.  A  Being 
(of  whom  I  will  tell  you  later)  led 
me  to  the  border  of  that  land,  and 
taught  me  how  to  control  my 
breath  so  as  to  glide  over  the  sur- 
face of  the  country,  which  hitherto 
I  had  only  trod  upon.  The  light 
was  more  roseate-tinted,  with  no 
speck,  no  dust,  while  the  grass  was 
greener  than  I  had  ever  seen  it — 
like  a  great  carpet  spread  under 
our  feet.     Lilies  stood  taller  than 


THE    SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN  73 

I,  with  their  stalks  and  leaves 
transparent,  while  foliage  of  the 
trees  took  on  the  form  of  feathers 
waving  in  the  perfumed  breeze. 
Many  of  the  homes  resembled  ala- 
baster, and  as  I  came  to  one,  an  im- 
pulse seized  me  to  descend  and  en- 
ter. I  had  only  to  point  my  foot 
towards  the  house  and  touch  the 
steps  and  glide  through  the  open 
door,  when  members  of  our  house- 
hold greeted  me  with  a  smile  of 
welcome,  for  I  was  expected.  We 
all  proceeded  to  an  inner  court, 
where  fountains  were  playing  and 
tall  trees  stood." 

Joseph's  eyes  flamed  with  an  in- 
tense look  of  joy. 

"I  have  seen  Ailsa.  She  lives  in 
a  great  white  mansion  with  lovely 
children  whose  parents  are  still 
earth-boim^d.  Ailsa,  in  her  trailing 
white  robes  and  golden  hair,  which 
ripples  in  massive  waves  over  her 
shoulders,  is  more  beautiful  than 
anything  you  can  imagine.  The 
little  babes  nestle  to  her  throat  like 
doves  under  the  mother's  wing. 
There  are  no  homes  over  there 
more  beautiful  than  those  in  which 


74  THE   SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN 

the  babies  laugh,  and  sleep,  and 
grow  in  stature.  The  gardens  are 
filled  with  butterflies  and  tinted 
orchids;  while  sweetest  lullabies 
are  heard.  Unutterable  chords 
are  struck  when  that  word  'Love' 
is  spoken.  It  is  the  one  word 
which  expresses  all  things." 

A  few  moments  of  expectant 
silence  followed,  then  Joseph's 
voice  throbbed  with  an  exultant 
tone: 

"I  wish  to  tell  you  one  thing 
more  before  I  go,  sister.  As  I 
was  walking  by  the  river's  side 
listening  to  the  waters,  the  music 
they  made  suddenly  ceased,  and 
there  stood  before  me  a  Being 
whom  I  could  not  look  upon.  He 
spoke  to  me  in  a  voice  so  perfectly 
modulated  that  all  other  sounds 
seemed  harsh  in  comparison.  The 
influence  of  it  pervaded  all  space. 
It  had  in  it  the  essence  of  what 
Spirit  Itself  is ;  and  yet  you,  and  I, 
were  component  parts  of  It.  I 
had  been  in  search  of  one  Perfect 
Being.  One  long  since  made  per- 
fect and  when  we  met  I  felt  that 
I  saw  before  me  the  adorable  ex- 


THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN  75 

pression  of  what  I  would  some  day 
become,  simply  through  its  in- 
dwelling power,  its  central  force. 
I  could  not  stand  another  moment, 
and  was  slowly  sinking  to  my 
knees  when  the  Being  spoke,  but 
in  such  dulcet  tones  that  the  great 
old  organ  at  Ulm,  which  had  no 
mate  on  earth,  seemed  harsh  in 
comparison. 

"  'Not  there,'  said  the  Voice, 
*but  to  the  height  of  your  stature, 
with  your  heart  beating  against 
mine,  for  I  am  your  elder  brother. 
Shall  we  lift  the  veil  and  view  the 
city  celestial,  where  we  will  meet 
again  some  day?' 

"An  instant  later,  a  scene  of  en- 
trancing vistas  lay  before  me. 
Rolling  from  beneath  our  feet  lay 
a  valley  which  stretched  away  to 
grassy  slopes  on  whose  sides,  hang- 
ing like  white  roses,  were  temples 
overshadowed  by  camelia  trees  in 
full  bloom,  unlike  any  others  that 
I  have  ever  seen,  so  wide-spreading 
and  yet  so  perfectly  proportioned. 
Over  these  grassj?'  slopes  were  scat- 
tered mansions  of  every  size  and 
description. 


76  THE   SOUL   OF   AN    ORGAN 

Each  one,  however,  had  its  vines 
and  trees,  and  the  guardians  of 
them  knew  the  souls  who  dwelt 
therein  by  the  flowers  which 
bloomed  near  the  entrance.  The 
slopes  of  the  valley  rose  to  a  high 
mountain  on  the  horizon,  and 
there,  through  that  wonderful 
light,  could  be  seen  the  fairy-like 
city,  more  symmetrical  and  beauti- 
ful than  any  dream  of  fancy — for 
it  was — ^^the  home  of  the  Perfect 
Being,  who  continued  saying: 

"  *We  will  go  there  later.  You 
shall  see  from  the  jewelled  tower, 
that  is  lost  in  the  stars,  how  you 
have  journeyed  from  your  home  on 
that  dark  earth  planet,  and  how, 
every  time  that  you  were  disap- 
pointed and  stumbled  along  the 
way,  it  was  a  step  upward,  to  join 
us  here.' 

"What  rapture  it  was,  Amina, 
to  listen  to  his  voice,  for  every 
word  he  uttered  struck  a  respon- 
sive chord  in  my  heart. 

"  'Shall  we  go  on?'  I  asked. 

"  'Be  patient;  for  you  must  re- 
turn to  earth  once  more,  for  the 
longing  desires  of  that  soul  will 


THE    SOUL   OF    AN    ORGAN  77 

eall  you  back  from  the  inner  celes- 
tial spheres.' 

"  'Must  I  return  to  earth?  Can- 
not a  messenger  be  sent  to  bring 
Amina  to  me,  for  I  cannot  leave 
this  place  that  I  have  longed  to  see, 
and  yet  never  realized  one  jot  of 
its  glorious  beauty.  No  words  can 
paint  it  for  those  who  have  not 
seen  it,  and  if  I  return  to  and  cross 
that  awful  abyss  to  earth,  and  lose 
you,  brother,  how  can  I  hope  to 
ever  regain  those  heights?' 

*'  'Then  you  would  go  on  alone 
and  partake  of  all  the  delights  pre- 
pared for  you.     Shall  we  go  on?' 

''I  heard  a  distant  cry,  and 
a  chord  from  your  instrument 
reached  me.  Its  tenderness  was 
heard  where  we  stood.  I  looked 
up  at  the  Being  who  called  himself 
my  Elder  Brother.  His  eyes  were 
closed,  but  he  could  see  through 
the  lids,  and  could  have  read  my 
thoughts  had  he  chosen  to  do  so. 
But  there  is  no  desire  in  those 
realms  to  possess  anything  that 
does  not  belong  to  one.  As  I  hesi- 
tated, I  heard  you  cry: 


78  THE   SOUL   OF  AN   ORGAN 

"  'Joseph,  have  you  forgotten 
me?' 

"My  heart  was  riven,  and  I  said, 
*I  will  go  back/ 

"Then  came  one  glorious  mo- 
ment when  I  heard  a  rythmic 
chant.  I  had  stood  there  so  intent 
in  gazing  on  the  scene  at  our  feet 
that  I  had  not  noticed  that  our 
Brother  was  surrounded  by  a  le- 
gion of  the  most  adorable  beings 
eye  had  ever  seen.  They  were 
swaying  back  and  forth  above  the 
green  sward,  and  their  garments 
of  azure-like  quality  created  a  vi- 
bration, until  each  one  of  them 
had  a  special  tone  which  blended 
with  those  nearest,  and  so  on 
through  the  band,  until  I  awak- 
ened to  the  fact  that  they  were 
each  one  in  tune  with  the  In- 
finite Mind  and  the  glorious  an- 
them which  gradually  stole  upon 
my  ear  was  an  'Alleluia,'  snatches 
of  which  I  had  often  heard  in  the 
organ  loft,  but  never  clearly 
enough  to  fasten  in  my  memory. 
It  could  not  have  been  understood 
only  in  the  company  of  such  celes- 
tial creatures.     It   was  a  song  of 


THE   SOUL  OF  AN   OEGAN  79 

triumph  over  my  decision  to  come 
to  you;  for  it  seemed  that  my  giv- 
ing up  their  world  to  descend  into 
the  depths  to  reach  you  sent  them 
into  a  song  of  rapture- 

"  *  Another  soul  redeemed!'  they 
sang.  But  I  had  first  made  the 
decision  before  I  heard  the  song." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

'^Joseph,  I  understand — I  un- 
derstand— how  utterly  selfish  I 
am,"  whispered  Amina.  "To 
think  that  I  gave  a  sigh  to  bring 
you  back  from  those  realms  of 
light!  For  did  you  not  earn  the 
right  to  be  released  from  your 
form  of  clay?" 

There  was  such  an  expression  of 
deep  self-pity  on  his  sister's  face 
that  Joseph  tenderly  laid  his  hand 
on  her  suffering  head. 

"The  greatest  thing  in  the  world, 
Amina,  is  to  learn  to  forgive  your- 
self.  If  I  had  not  made  the  deci- 
sion to  return  to  you  because  you 
desired  it,  I  probably  would  not 
have  heard  the  'Alleluia.'  I  can 
hear  it  now,  but  I  could  not  give 
you  any  idea  of  its  beauty  through 
the  agency  of  any  earthly  instru- 
ment, and  I  have  been  wondering 
ever  since  how  I  could  have  turned 
from  it  to  come  to  you.  I  only 
know  that  on  those  entrancing 
strains  came  the  voice: 

80 


THE   SOUL  OF  AN   ORGAN  81 

"  'Brother,'  it  said,  *as  our  hearts 
beat  once  in  unison,  so  the  tie  that 
binds  us  can  never  be  severed.  You 
are  a  part  of  me.  But  that  other 
heart  down  there  cries  for  the 
celestial  life.  It  is  attuned  to  the 
songs  we  sing  here.  Her  desire  is 
for  the  larger  life  which  speaks  to 
her  in  the  stillness  of  the  night:  in 
the  watches  of  the  morning  when 
the  swinging  orb  of  day  throws  its 
taper  against  the  eastern  sky,  and 
nature  cries  aloud  for  joy.  There 
is  a  body  terrestrial  and  a  life  as 
well,  which  is  as  a  shadow  to  the 
body  celestial  and  its  life.  But 
shadows  are  such  real  things  to 
children.  Your  sister  will  soon  be- 
long to  our  celestial  household. 

"I  turned  from  him  to  descend 
to  you  by  the  path  which  lay  be- 
tween us,  and  I  found  myself  in  a 
dense,  black  fog,  so  dense  that  I 
hesitated  to  take  another  step.  As 
I  stood  there,  a  great  fear  stole 
over  me,  which  increased  to  terror. 
Then  that  voice  spoke  again  from 
the  darkness:  'Fear  nothing;  I  will 
light  the  way,'  it  said.  With  that, 
there  came  a  light    which  shone 


82  THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN 

through  and  around  me,  as  if  my 
body  reflected  light  from  a  great 
sun.  It  was  the  flame  of  the 
Spirit  within  me.  It  ht  the  path 
ahead  of  me,  and  as  I  passed  down, 
now  filled  with  confidence,  and 
came  near  to  the  place  where  the 
cold  winds  blew  in  a  minor  key, 
shapes  of  strange,  unknown  creat- 
ures slunk  past  me  in  the  darkness. 
At  a  point  where  the  wind  shrieked 
and  howled,  I  met  the  rich  woman 
in  her  brown  rags.  She  was  lean- 
ing on  her  cane  and  regarding 
me  fearlessly  through  those  hiard, 
steely  blue  eyes  which,  as  she  con- 
tinued looking  at  me,  began  to 
soften. 

"  'Where  did  you  come  from — 
Angel  of  Light?'  she  asked  with 
an  imperious  air. 

"  *I  came  from  above,  where  all 
is  Light.  I  was  a  mortal  until  I 
climbed  up  those  steeps,  and  in  a 
twinkling  of  an  eye  was  changed 
into  what  you  see  me. 

"  'I  have  come  from  below, 
where  the  cold  winds  blow,  by 
slow,  arduous  steps,  hoping  to 
meet  with  some  one  who  could  tell 


THE   SOUL  OF  AN   ORGAN  83 

me  ,how  to  reach  those  summits 
which  I  glimpse  when  the  wind 
lulls  and  the  leaden  veil  lifts,'  she 
said  with  a  deep  sigh.  'I  am  will- 
ing to  climb  higher  if  you  can  as- 
sure me  that  I  will  not  lose  my 
way,  and  may  hope  for  a  ray  of 
sunshine  such  as  you  reflect  to  fall 
across  my  weary  life.  I  am  so 
weary,'  and  she  leaned  on  her  staff 
in  an  attitude  of  hopelessness. 

"As  I  stood  waiting  for  her  to 
cease  speaking  so  that  I  might  tell 
her  of  the  Great  Heart  awaiting 
her  up  there,  the  *  Alleluia'  was 
wafted  through  the  air.  She  looked 
up,  startled,  and  listened  intently, 
then  slowly  sank  to  the  ground, 
her  old  cane  dropping  from  her 
hand  and  rolling  down  the  hill,  as 
she  fell  into  a  deep  sleep,  with  a 
glorified  smile  on  her  face.  I  knew 
that  she  had  found  peace,  and 
would  go  higher  up  and  join  the 
throng,  so  I  passed  on  and  came  to 
you." 

As  Joseph  concluded,  his  coun- 
tenance seemed  to  reflect,  in  a 
measure,  the  light  from  the  Being 
whom  he  had  attempted  to   de- 


84  THE   SOUL  OF  AN   ORGAN 

scribe.  A  few  moments  of  expec- 
tant silence  followed,  then  Joseph's 
voice  throbbed  with  an  exultant 
tone  as  he  said: 

"I  have  a  message  for  you.  Ailsa 
will  be  here  in  a  few  days  to  bear 
you  hence.  She  will  be  with  you, 
so  you  will  have  nothing  to  fear." 

With  a  gesture  full  of  compas- 
sion at  Amina's  breathless  emotion, 
he  placed  his  hand  on  her  head  and 
continued : 

"On  the  anniversary  hour  of  my 
release  from  earth  form  we  will  be 
here  to  take  you  away  with  us" 

"In  six  days?" 

Joseph  bowed  his  head.  Giving 
him  one  long  look,  Amina  felt  her 
blood  chill  and  then  turn  to  molten 
fire.  Her  body  thrilled  to  this 
new  emotion;  her  head  fell  back 
against  the  chair  on  which  she  was 
sitting,  and  when  she  awoke  a  new 
day  had  dawned. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  following  morning,  as  Hel- 
ena entered  Amina's  room  with  her 
usual  cheery  greeting,  she  hesi- 
tated, for  a  visible  change  had 
taken  place  in  Amina.  The  dark 
shadows  in  her  face  had  deepened 
and  an  ethereal  expression  had 
stamped  itself  plainly  upon  her 
face.  She  gave  Helena  a  smile  of 
recognition  and,  crossing  her  hands 
over  her  heart,  as  if  to  quell  its 
tumultuous  beatings,  raised  her 
eyes  confidingly  and  said: 

"I  am  going." 

"Going  where?" 

*To  Brother— to  Joseph." 

"Amina!"  sobbed  Helena. 

"It  is  true,"  Amina  said  gently. 
"Joseph  came  last  night  and  said 
that  he  would  return  for  me  on  the 
anniversary  hour  of  his  passing 
from  earth  life.  That  will  be  in 
six  days.  He  loved  you,  Helena, 
and  we  know  that  you  did  your 
best  to  keep  Joseph  here;  but  he 

85 


86  THE   SOUL   OF  AN   ORGAN 

was  SO  tired — so  tired  of  his  earth- 
ly garment !  He  is  now  free  to  live 
his  life,  having  first  earned  the 
right  through  living  a  life  of  ser- 
vice here.  I  am  going  home  to 
see  them  all."  She  turned  wearily 
on  her  pillow  as  she  continued:  "I 
could  not  tune  myself  to  my  sur- 
roundings here,  and  become  inter- 
ested in  your  life,  dear  Sister;  my 
heart  was  not  in  it." 

"Amina,"  said  Helena,  breath- 
lessly. "Try  and  be  a  good  girl 
and  use  your  will  to  arouse  your- 
self out  of  this  senseless  condition 
into  which  you  have  drifted.  You 
must,  in  the  first  place,  leave  this 
house.  You  need  an  entire  change 
of  scene.  Besides,  you  must,  you 
must  think  of  me.  I  have  con- 
cealed from  you  my  anxiety  of 
mind." 

"Dear  Helena,"  interrupted 
Amina.  "Do  not  grieve.  If  you 
but  knew — I  choke — oh,  I  cannot 
find  words  to  make  you  imderstand 
what  is  awaiting  me.  Listen — 
don't  you  hear  the  echo  of  a  great 
anthem?  How  they  chant!  The 
roll  of  an  organ,  like  the  beating  of 


THE   SOUL  OF   AN   ORGAN  87 

a  heart,  throbs  through  it  alL 
Hush!" 

Helena  stood  in  silence  by  her 
side.  In  that  moment  she  realized 
that  here  was  a  force  defying  her 
to  avert  the  coming  dissolution. 
Every  method  that  she  could  think 
of  had  been  carefully  pondered 
and  acted  upon,  even  to  the  turn- 
ing of  the  hands  of  the  clock  for- 
ward one  hour.  The  love  of  home 
and  family  was  deeply  entrenched 
in  Helena's  nature,  and  she 
mourned  for  Joseph,  that  great 
soul,  whose  death  had  shocked  her 
awake  to  life's  mysteries.  But  she 
quailed  as  she  caught  a  glimpse  of 
the  future,  and  saw  herself  stand- 
ing alone,  while  her  sister  was  slip- 
ping from  her  side. 

After  a  moment  of  profound 
stillness,  Amina  turned  with  a  look 
of  unutterable  tenderness  which 
thrilled  Helena's  inmost  being,  and 
said  between  pauses,  as  if  repeat- 
ing a  message  dictated  by  another: 

"Joseph  called  you  a  good  sol- 
dier. Therefore,  my  dear  Helena, 
promise  me  that  you  will  not  grieve 
when  I  am  gone?    That  you  will 


88  THE   SOUL   OF   AN   ORGAN 

be  brave  where  I  was  weak;  cour- 
ageous in  helping  others  through 
life,  where  I  was  faint-hearted?" 

"I  promise  you  that  I  will  be  a 
good  soldier.  I  will  take  up  my 
life  anew  and  consecrate  it  to  the 
work  that  you  and  Joseph  have  left 
unfinished,"  Helena  whispered. 

Such  a  look  of  exaltation  shone 
in  Amina's  eyes  that  Helena  dried 
her  tears  and,  leaning  down,  ten- 
derly kissed  her  sister. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

The  sixth  day,  the  anniversary 
of  Joseph's  passing  out,  arrived. 
That  afternoon  as  the  clock  struck, 
the  doctor  entered  the  room. 
Amina  was  crying: 

"He  has  left  me.  They  have 
taken  him  away:  oh  what  shall  I 
do?"  Despair  was  depicted  on 
her  countenance.  "Doctor,  Joseph 
promised  to  be  here  when  the  clock 
struck  the  hour.  He  has  forgotten 
me. 

As  she  said  this,  a  long  sigh  es- 
caped her  lips  and  she  dropped 
into  a  deep  sleep.  The  watchers 
felt  relieved,  and  at  the  same  time 
confident  that  the  turning  point 
had  been  reached  and  she  would 
now  be  cured  of  her  vagaries.  It 
was  nearing  the  anniversary  hour 
of  Joseph's  death  (with  the  hands 
of  the  clock  turned  forward)  when 
Amina  awoke*  The  look  of  des- 
pair had  changed  to  one  of  rapture 
which  illumined  her  face,  and  she 


90  THE    SOUL    OF    AN    OEGAN 

seemed  to  be  gazing  at  some  object 
through  and  beyond  them  both. 
An  influence,  almost  palpable 
filled  the  room.  Doctor  Bell  re- 
alized that  with  all  his  scientific 
knowledge  he  knew  little  of  the 
spiritual  laws  that  govern  the 
body. 

As  the  clock  struck  seven,Amina 
rose  to  a  sitting  posture,  and  rais- 
ing her  hands  as  if  to  some  invisi- 
ble presence,  murmured: 

"Here  I  am,  Joseph,  "then 
added  in  a  whisper,  "Oh  hear  it 
*  Alleluia  AUe — :"  and  with  one 
long  breath  of  ecstasy,  her  heart 
fluttered  and  stopped  beating. 

No  one  but  Amina  had  heard 
the  "Alleluia.''  The  stillness  was 
profound.  Her  ear  alone  was  at- 
tuned to  those  chorales  of  the  skies. 


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